


Gape for Future Joy

by Estirose



Category: Fantasy Life (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Relationships, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 09:15:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9432248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estirose/pseuds/Estirose
Summary: Erion was planning on mining, not going on an adventure with a most unusual butterfly... or even falling in love.Prequel to "And If You Take My Hand".





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I may not hold hard and fast to canon details at times.

Erion stretched as she got out of bed. A Life! She was getting a Life! She'd chosen carefully, thinking of what she might be good at, and finally decided that she'd be a miner. It was partially practical - if she was a miner, she wouldn't run across Liam, would she? Well, she had to admit, she might, but it wasn't as likely. Liam was a hunter, and he didn't go into areas where minerals were likely to be. At least not much. She hoped. A while ago, she'd been thinking about going into carpenter so that she could build Liam's bows for him.

Rushing outside, she almost ran into Pam, her landlady. "Isn't this exciting?" Pam asked, almost more excited than Erion was. The landlady towered over Erion, who had never been on the tall side. As Erion pulled out the letter with the royal seal and read it, Pam cheerfully talked about how wonderful it was that Erion was getting a Life, and was almost peering over Erion's shoulder.

"Once you have received your license, I would request your presence at the Royal Court. How exciting! Have you gotten your license, dear?"

Erion shook her head. "No, I haven't."

"Then you should get it! Do you know where the guild office is?" Pam asked. She didn't wait for Erion's response, cheerfully chattering on how to find it, even though Erion's mother had been close friends with one of the bounty clerks there and Erion had spent her fair share of time in there. "And here is a piece of my candy. No, I insist! Pop it in your pouch, dearie."

"Thank you, Pam!" Erion said, to get the conversation over with. Not that she disliked Pam, but this was her new Life! She had to get it started. She ran off, heading into the guild office, making small talk with the Guild Master as he made sure she had her license. She was about to leave when she heard yelling. 

Heading outside, she found the town's layabouts, Pierre and Butch, two brothers who were menacing a... butterfly? She was reluctant to help, because she didn't know a thing about fighting. It didn't help that the butterfly's next words made her feel like a terrible person. When the butterfly cried for help again, she steeled herself and stepped between the butterfly and the brothers. She let them search her, knowing that she hadn't carried any Dosh on her at all. After all, why would she need Dosh? Her parents had been paying for rent and food for her, after all. She kept a few bits of Dosh for some small purchases, but not that day.

So, Butch took Pam's candy, and the two, losing interest, left Erion in the company of the talking butterfly. She stared uncomfortably at it- her, the voice sounded like.

"Thank you!" The butterfly went on to explain that she'd been doing research and had said what was on her mind, which, knowing Pierre and Butch, wasn't that hard. "Which way is the castle?"

"Um...." Erion could only point in the right direction. After the butterfly fluttered away, she could only stare for a moment before remembering that she herself was supposed to be heading to see the king. She ran there, nearly out of breath by the time she climbed the stairs. While she was trying not to lose her temper at the Paladins guarding the king, she heard a familiar voice. Hurrying towards the noise, she saw the butterfly arguing with the seneschal about seeing the king.

Erion had to wonder for a moment why the butterfly hadn't just flown around the issue, but decided that it wasn't important. She let the argument conclude, and then turned to ask the butterfly why she kept arguing with people. Before she could open her mouth, the butterfly was asking if she was willing to do a simple deception - Erion would be able to get by with the butterfly pretending to be a tie. It was weird, but she figured it would work. She'd get through, they'd both do what they needed to do, and she could start her Life.

It worked, and soon they were inside. Liam had told her about the whole ceremony thing - how the King had congratulated him on his new Life, presented him with money and his Hunter's outfit. It was the same for her, except that she was a Miner, expected to bring in minerals.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she was out of the throne room, but didn't stop walking until she was outside. The butterfly fluttered off of her. "Thank you. You were great!"

"You're welcome." She tried to smile a little bit at the butterfly. 

The butterfly started flying off, and Erion nodded a little after her, before heading down the stairs past the Paladin headquarters. Suddenly the butterfly flew back up to her. "You know what, you look a little naked around the neck." She seemed to be contemplating something. "I know! We could go on adventures together!"

Erion wanted to protest that mining didn't involve that many adventures, but kept silent. After all, maybe it did. 

"Don't make me beg, please? We'd be great together."

"Oh, okay." Maybe it would work out. Maybe it wouldn't. Who knew?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the Miner's intro, so a lot of dialogue is taken from there. I tried to put a little spin on it, but it's fairly faithful to the game. (I love the Miner intro!)

Erion knew where the mine was, and where she was supposed to meet Duglas, her new master. It was a simple matter to follow the mine tracks to where two men were standing. She knew Duglas somewhat by reputation - absentminded and married to a girl named Ruby.

"There ya are! The Guild Office sent wor a kid'd be swingin' by." Duglas wasn't smiling, but at least he knew she was coming."Yer name's Erion, ain't it? I'm Duglas. This guy here's my brother, Brock."

The man beside him, about the same size but with blue hair, sighed. "It's Rocque, Bro. ROCQUE."

"Oh year, right, right. By mad. I mean... my bad." Duglas shook his head. "All right, I'm itchin' to learn all about the most rockin' Life in Reveria. So start teachin'!"

Erion was puzzled by that. Wasn't she the student?

"Teach me the ways of takin' a pickaxe to those itch door reposits! Uh... I mean... rich ore deposits." Duglas continued on, despite Erion's confusion.

Rocque turned to his brother. "Er, other way round, Bro."

"What? I said it right the second time, didn't I?" Duglas put his hands on his hips, turning towards his brother.

"Yeah, but Erion is here to learn, not teach. You're gonna show her how to mine, Bro."

"Huh?" Duglas asked. "Oh yeah, I guess that makes more sense. Ya wanna be a miner? Of course ya do!"

Rocque sighed again. "Yup, I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the visit, Bro. How about we give her the lowdown?"

"Hm. Good idea. Anyone worth their ore will tell ya, kid... bein' a Riner MOCKS! I mean... bein a Miner ROCKS!" He thrust his pick down in emphasis. "Ahem! Dig! Dig! Dig! And when yer done diggin', dig some ore! Er... Yeah, that's right. Dig some ore!" He paused. "What'cha think?"

"That was very.... passionate, Bro. But you didn't actually explain anything."

Duglas shook his head. "Fine, fine. If you think it's so simple, you explain it to her."

"Uh... OK, fine. Watch me, Bro." Rocque turned to Erion. "MIners live Life one ore deposit at a time. Our job is to dig up ore and precious stones. The ore goes to the Blacksmiths and the stones go to the Alcheists. Ya dig?"

Erion nodded.

"Our goods are always in demand. Money ain't a worry with mining!"

"That's right!" Duglas jumped up and down in enthusiasm. "Pining is may dirt! I mean... mining is pay dirt! Brock, when did ya get so good at giving explanations?"

"It's Rocque, Bro. And I've got way more time on my hands than you do. You're a married man... while yo're enjoying married Life, I'm frittering the way away memorizing our beginner's spiel."

"Aw, you'll find a special someone." Duglas was nodding. "Lots of riamonds in the duff out there... I mean, diamonds in the rough!"

"And where are these diamonds exactly?" Rocque asked.

"Um... back to you, Erion! You ready to ROCK? First thing you're gonna do is give me a brand-new pickaxe!" He paused. "Uhhh... oh, right, I'm givin' you a pickaxe. Duh. Wow... this is embarrassing. It... uh, it looks like I left that all-important pickaxe at home."

"That's the second time in two days, Bro."

Duglas cleared his throat. "Rocque, you know what that means, right?"

"Of course! i'm all over it like the dirt on my boots! Just leave it to me, Bro." He turned to Erion. "Okay, Erion. We're gonna take a little field trip and get you that pickaxe."

"You're heading to my neighborhood in the Artisan District. My wife, Ruby, should be able to help ya! Man, I owe ya one, Rick!"

"It's Rocque, Bro. Never mind. Erion, do you know the way?"

"I think I do...." It couldn't be too far.

As they headed there, Butterfly whispered, "Is this normal for masters?"

"I don't know," Erion whispered back. "He is known to be a bit eccentric...." Though she had never spoken to him and was confused about why he seemed to switch his letters.

Rocque caught up to them. "So, ya turn left here, and then a right."

Erion followed his directions, and Rocque pointed out a purple-haired woman standing near the laundry.

"Hi, Ruby," Rocque said.

"Oh, hello, Jock." Apparently she was as bad at names as her husband was.

"It's Rocque," he corrected gently.

Ruby turned towards Erion. "And who is this? one of my husband's little two-timers in training?"

Rocque paled. "Wh-what? No way, Ruby! This here is our newest Miner. Her name's Erion."

"That man. Honestly! He says he's out mining, but I know what he's really up to! I went to the Crown, and what did I see? Duglas hugging another woman! And of all the days! It just had to be on our anniversary!" She tapped her foot.

"Bro did that?!?" Rocque seemed to pale even further.

"You're still young, Rocque. Don't you dare follow his example, you hear me?"

"But... r-right... of course not...." Rocque seemed to be a loss for words, not that Erion blamed him. To know that your brother was a two-timer.... 

Erion was starting to regret taking up this Life.

"You're a good boy, Rocque. Now, how can I help you?" Ruby seemed to calm down after admonishing Rocque.

"Ah, um... Bro forgot the... er... pickaxe."

"The Beginner's Pickaxe? Yes, he did leave it here. Here you go." Ruby handed Erion the pickaxe. Erion wished she could say something, offer an apology, but she couldn't. She could only head back to the mining area with Rocque in tow. 

Duglas greeted her with a little smile. "All right, lemme show you how to properly use one of those things. Hey, what's with the veered wibe, Uh, I mean, weird vibe. Why are you two lookin' at me like that? I haven't done anything more scatterbrained than usual recently, have I?"

"You've been unfaithful to Ruby, Bro. We all know it." Rocque shook his head.

"Huh? That's a lack of pies! I mean a pack of lies! Did... did Ruby tell you that?"

"Yup! She basically said you're Castele's number one two-timer." Rocque sighed once more.

"Really? My booger sheet... I mean, my sugar beet said that? About me? But I've loved her and her alone since way before I took her mand in hairage... uh, hand in marriage." He took a deep breath. "I'll have to sort this out later. I'm here to teach you about good, wholesome mining! There's no funny business in mining, understand?! This is sompletely curious. Er... completely serious. We'll start off with something simple. Try mining that Castele Copper. I started mining on Castele Copper myself, though I wasn't very good at it. Three's a good number. You should be able to get into the swing of things over there. Go spit 'em, gort! Er, go get them, sport! If ya run out of mining spots, just give ol' Rocque a holler. He'll go ahed and find ya s'more o'them prospectin' prospects."

Rocque was making desperate motions with his eyes. "Go."

And Erion did, hitting with her pickaxe at one of the three deposits. It was hard at first, but she got the hang of it on the second one, and the third was easy. Duglas was counting behind her for some reason.

Erion waved her hands at him, and he stopped. "Hm? What?! Who's there?"

"It's just Erion, Bro. Our new Miner? She's just reporting back to you."

"Oh... OH! Yeah! Your initiation test! RIght! Got a little carried away there with the countin', and I'm not really sure what I was countin' for... I ain't the fartest smeller. Er... smartest feller. But I can get back to the numbers later! Anyway, on with the plaster man. Er... master plan! Ya passed yer test with flyin' colors! Now you can sell what ya mined and officially become my rocking pupil! 'What's mine is Ores' is the name of the best shop in tow for sellin' that copper!"

"You'll be all right alone, won't you, Erion?" Rocque asked. I've got a few loose ends to tie up here. You know where 'What's Mine is Ores' is, don'tcha? It's just west of my bro's house. Ya can't miss it."

"Doing stuff by yourself builds confidence. Think of yourself as a wone lolf... Lone wolf! Now get yourself some dad mos... Mad Dosh!"

Duglas shooed Erion off. Erion took the cue and headed out of the mines. "This is all very strange," she said. "But at least I'll get my first Dosh that I made on my own!"

Butterfly cheered. "Is this normal for this town, though?"

"With Duglas? I don't know." Erion frowned. "I really don't know if he's telling the truth or what. I hope he is...."

They made their way to the shop. Erion had known where it was for a while, and hadn't really needed the directions. The shopkeeper took her copper, admired it, and gave her 60 dosh in return. Erion put it in her pocket with a smile. It didn't solve what was going on with her Master, but it was nice to be paid.

"Hey, you! Hold it right there!" A woman's voice made Erion turn. She saw a suntanned woman with blonde hair. "I've been looking for you. I hear you're the best miner in Castele. Never would have guessed it. Looks like a swing of your pickaxe would send you spinning." She shook her head. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be so rude. Name's Angela. I'm a traveler from Al Maajik."

Erion was surprised. They didn't see too many people from the mystical desert kingdom.

"Actually, I really need your help. I'm trying to get my hands on a Topaz. They're rarer than rain down in Al Maajik. Only the finest miner will do for this job. That's why I dug up some info on you." She clasped her hands together. "I love gems! Gems can't treat you badly or stab you in the back." She paused. "Sorry about that. Just some personal stuff. Don't sweat it. I'm confident if anyone can get a Topaz for me, it'll be you. C'mon, give a girl a hand. I'll be waiting for you at the Crown."

"That was weird," the shopkeep said.

"You're telling me," Erion replied. "I'll bring you more ore as I find it."

"Wouldn't have it any other way! Take care!"

Erion made her way back to the mines.

"You're back! Er... whatever your name is. Didja sell that copper? Hope ya got a some decent Dosh for it."

Not sure what to say, Erion showed him her coins.

"Ya did? Good goin' kid!"

"Next, I'd like to mine a Topaz," Erion told him.

Duglas laughed. "A Novice huntin' for a gem is like an ant tryin' to move a mountain, kid! Still, ya got moxie, I'll give ya that. Whatcha thinking, though?Can't resist the allure of finding precious gems?I understand. Actually, I managed to stumble upon a gem very recently. Here - check it out." He reached into his pocket. "It's GOOONE! D-did it fall outta my pocket or somethin'?! I was gonna give it to Ruby, my sweet wife. A precious gem for my precious gem. 

"This is terrible, but... I need to be strong for my students. Let's talk about this gem ya want. I've got a mole on the inside that can help ya. What's with that look? I'm serious, kid. I've got the hookup! Wait. Don't tell me you've never heard of Hole Net! It's only the most important Miner-communication network in Reveria! The local mole place is just over yonder. They'll help ya locate the gem ya need. They were instrumental in me getting my gem.I just wish I hadn't lost it. I gotta find some way to fix things with my bunny hair... er, honey bear! Ehh, sorry about that. I should be more professional about you. Go, it's not far."

Erion did as he said and soon found the mole standing next to Rocque. "Hey, Rocque," the mole said, "I dunno why, but I get the feeling someons' about to ask us a favor, diggit."

Rocque looked over. "Oh, hey, Erion!"

"You know this dudette, Rocque?" the mole asked.

"Sure do. She's Bro's newest pupil, Erion."

"Going for fame and fortune as a Miner, eh? Then consider yourself an honorary member of the mole family! Diggit! See, we moles and you Miners share a special kind of connection, diggit? Our underground mole network has the scoop on all things dirt related... and more."

"So what are yoa looking for, diggit?" Rocque asked.

"Hmmm... you seem like someone in need of a Topaz," the mole said before she could speak up.

"TOPAZ? Aren't those super, super rare?" Roque asked in startlement.

"Maybe for some, but we moles are way ahead. I happen to have some dirt on you li'l Topaz now. Word on Hole Net is there's something shiny out near Castele Chapel. Might be your Topaz. Diggit, diggit. Sinc you're new to the scene. This first tip is totally on the house. We're more'n happy to dig up the info for ya."

"Wow, you're lucky, Erion!" Rocque exclaimed.

"It's a rare thing to find a Topaz here in Castele. But maybe not as rare as in other parts of the world." The mole was jumping up and down.

"Ain't that the truth. But why a Topaz?" Rocque asked. "...It's a favor for a girl, isn't it?"

Erion found herself blushing.

"It is! That pretty girl from Al Maajik asked you, right? It's written all over your face! I'm... I'm kinda jealous."

"Hole net tells me she made the trek here just to hunt down a Topaz. Now that's dedication, diggit!" The mole looked over at Rocque.

"Wow... Al Maajik is as exotic as it gets when it comes to rare gems. Ancient ores oder than dirt, gems drker than the night sky... I've always wanted to go. Okay, let's get this Topaz hunt started. I'll let you take the lead, Erion."

The mole nodded. "Head on over near the chapel and check it out. Good luck, diggit!"

Erion headed off, knowing that Rocque was close behind. "You were blushing, I saw it," Butterfly said.

:"I like girls and guys, and that fact's not exactly unknown around here. Rocque probably heard it someplace. It really doesn't matter." Erion didn't feel like going much into her past, even to her inquisitive butterfly companion. At least it didn't take long to go past the chapel and find where the rock was.

"There it is! Molan said it should be near Castele Chapel, right? This si a good-quality deposit, but it looks more rock solid than usual. All right, this calls for a sweet move that wil help you crack things wide open."

He told her about the sweet spots and what to do. She nodded, pulled out her pick, and started on the grand deposit. She found the sweet spot almost immediately, working it until she found the Topaz.

"You did it, Erion! That is a huge Topaz! We should find that cute Al Maajik girl and give it to her right away!"

Erion had to agree, and they took off towards the Crown. It wasn't hard to find her.

"Huh? Wait, is that... is that the Topaz? You got it?!? L-let me have a look." Erion let her look. "It is. This is exactly the gem I want@ The size is good, and the color and clarity are truly superb! You're something else, you know that? I had my doubts, but you're the real deal... they weren't lying when they said you were the best Miner in Castele, huh? You're a whole different kind of Miner than the one I met here the other day!

"You ready for this? I try to ask the guy to help me, and he grabs me in this big, sweaty hug. Blegh! I don't know if he was mistaken or what, but he kept saying, 'Oooh, Ruby, I love you, Ruby!' But you, you're as tough as diamonds! That other guy isn't worth the dirt on your pickaxe. Whatever, though. It all worked out in the end, huh? So, let's talk payment. I'd like to propose a gem-for-gem trade. I've got something here that should interest you. Getting my hands on this baby was no joke, you know. Well, actually, it is a pretty silly story. After that creepy bear hug from that weirdo Miner, I found a gem in my ponytail. He must have lost it! Urgh! Weirdest hug ever. But never mind about that situation. So, I want to trade that gem for yours. What do you say? don't make me beg."

Erion nodded. From the story, it sounded like Duglas had gotten drunk on Barley juice and had genuinely mistaken Angela for Ruby.

"Wow! Thanks a bunch," Angela said as Erion handed over the Topaz. Angela gave her an Amethyst. "This is totally worth all the weirdness. Thank you so much, Miss Duglas!"

"But I'm Erion," Erion interjected."Duglas is a man."

"Yeah," Rocque added.

"You're not Miss Duglas, the great miner? Your name is Erion? And Duglas is his first name? I'm so confused. Wrong name, wrong person, wrong gender.... Meh, oh well! No harm done, I guess.... I'm heading back to Al Maajik. feel free to visit if you ever venture on down! See you later!" She hurried off.

"Ho boy, what a gem! I'm not talking about the Topaz. I mean her! I think I'm in love! Do you believe in love at first sight, Erion? Okay, I've made up my mind, and I owe it all to you, Erion! Oh, uh, sorry about that. I'm really distracted right now."

He definitely was, Erion mused.

"We need to report back to my bro. He's probably at his place by now."

Erion nodded, and they headed back, only to find Ruby ready to leave and Duglas trying to plead with her, mentioning the gem that Erion now held. 

"Rocque! Erion! When did you get here? Did you find the gem?" Duglas dashed over to them. Even Ruby paused.

"Hey Erion, show Bro what we managed to find."

Erion showed Duglas the Amethyst. 

"Wow, that's exactly the same as I lost! Look, even the number engraved on the back is the same...."

"Uh, bro, don't you think that this is the gem that you lost?" Rocque asked.

Duglas looked at the gem that Erion handed to him. "Saved by my pupil! Here, here's a reward."

He then turned to the fuming Ruby, apologizing and giving her the gem and proclaiming his love for her. As they got mushy, Erion was relieved to see it was just a case of drunken mistaken identity.

"I couldn't have done it without little Bro... what's up, Rocque?"

"I"m leaving for Al Maajik, I'm going to live out my dream!"

Erion watched with amusement as Duglas figured out that it was a girl, not the mining prospects, but slapped his brother on the back. "Bro, you gotta follow your heart. Just know that me an' Ruby here are sticking together."

"Well, if I go, you won't have to look too far to find a bright you pupil to replace me."

"You've got that right," Duglas said, grinning at Erion."Whatddya say, wanna fill that spot?"

"Rocque, don't be a stranger, be sure to drop in from time to time," Ruby told Rocque.

Rocque promised, and then Ruby turned towards Duglas. And dear, don't you have something you need to tell Erion?"

"Right, right! Let's take a look at your results, kid. Hey, you've got everything you needed to learn for the next level.Yer' now a Fledgling miner! To go up, ya just gotta earn stars. And to earn stars, ya gotta mine. Here's the list of stuff ya gotta do. If you rise through the ranks enough, I'll give you a little something. When you get some quality minin' in, report back to me.

"Well, Erion, look me up if you get to Al Maajik," Rocque said, making his goodbyes.

After Duglas and Ruby had left to see Rocque off to say their goodbyes, Butterfly said, "Wow! There's something different about you, Miner! You almost look like you're glowing! Those Stars are going to serve you well! But you still haven't showed me where you live. Let's head back to your place for a little shut-eye."

Erion couldn't help but agree.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still getting through the beginning tutorial, so there's a lot of canon dialogue here. Once we get past the intro to the West Grassy Plains, that will change.

Erion walked back to her room and opened the door. Pam was standing at the window. "It's getting so late... I hope everything's okay...."

And then she turned around. 

"Hi," Erion said.

"Oh my! You're home! I was just, uh, sweeping your room. A broom. That's what I need. Tee hee."

Well, Pam had always been a bit eccentric, but that was why everybody loved her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just worried about you." Pam gave her a sheepish smile. "I can't help it. So tell me, how did everything go?"

"Great!" Butterfly chimed in. But we're both pretty beat, to be honest."

Pam turned to the butterfly in surprise. "Oh... my. I-I'm sorry -- I don't believe we've met."

"You can just call me... Butterfly. It's simple. I like it. Erion really helped me out today." Butterfly's voice was as nervous as Pam's.

"Well, that's nice to hear. It's a pleasure to meet you, Butterfly. I'm Pam, the landlady." She turned to Erion. "The first day of your new Life, and you've already picked up another mouth to feed, eh? I hope you two have thought about the responsibility that any time of relationship involves."

Erion blushed.

"Oh, sure! Don't worry, I'm very independent. I can hunt my own sugared water."

"Tee hee. Oh, dear, I was just teasing you. A talking butterfly as charismatic as you... well, it's no wonder you two have become fast friends." She turned so that she was addressing them both. "If you ever want to chat, come and pay me a visit. I'm usually just downstairs."

"That sounds lovely. Thank you," Butterfly said.

"Well, I won't keep you, Erion! I know you've had a long day. But I did want to give you a little something. I was thinking that your room could you a bit of, oh, I don't know, personality? So I got you this."

It was a chair whose seat had had better days, but Erion didn't say anything because it was free.

"It's not much, but go ahead and place it somewhere. I think you'll feel a difference in the room."

Erion dutifully placed the chair at the foot of her bed.

"That looks lovely. It does change the space... a little." She gave Erion another smile. But now that you've started your Life, you can earn plenty of Dosh for things like furnishings. Or you can just save your money. Don't think I'm some sort of materialist. If you do end up saving enough Dosh, I can show you some other places that are a little bigger. I run a real estate agency out of the room downstairs. I'm usually around. If you're interested, come down and we can chat about that. Or anything else, for that matter!" She paused. "But do keep in mind that although Dosh and Stars are important, the key to a happy Life is Bliss! Bliss can help you enjoy all sorts of different perks both at home and in your travels. 

"Don't push yourself, though. Be sure to come back and rest up when you're tired. Plenty of sleep is key to a life full of Bliss. Well, I'll be off now, dearies. Be sure to get some rest, Erion! You as well, butterfly."

"Will do! Thank for your help!" Butterfly told her. Pam gave them a wave and left. 

Erion walked over to her friend, but before she could speak, Butterfly said, "Sounds like we should get you some Bliss, huh? I can't wait to see how Bliss will change your Life!" She paused. "Oh, so maybe that's what... hrm. Hey, check this out! You'll never guess what I can do! I can actually perform Bliss checks for you." She paused again. "I was expecting some kind of reaction there. Well, never mind. Just let me know if you ever want to check how much Bliss you've acquired. We'll see what you've got and tally it up! Wanna give it a quick shot now?"

"Sure," Erion said cautiously. What was Butterfly, and what had Erion gotten herself into?

"I was hoping you'd say that! Time to check that Bliss."

Erion did, and found that she had enough Bliss to upgrade her backpack to hold more slots. That would be useful, she thought.

"See? You'll be racking up the Bliss Bonuses in no time!" Butterfly told her. "You know, I was planning to flap around outside, but I'll stay here, just so that we can keep talking. So if you'd like to talk to me, just come back here and I'll be happy to help." Butterfly paused again. "You're really not so big on conversation, are you?"

"Not really," Erion told her. She hated her naturally squeaky voice.

"That's okay. I can do most of the chatting. I do gotta say that you handled everything like a champ today. I'm so glad I chose you, Erion... I mean, not that I chose you. I'm glad that we just happened to run into each other the way we did. Totally randomly and all. Totally. So, I guess that's it for small talk, huh? Well, regardless, I can't wait to see what Reveria has in store for us! Let's rest up for now, Erion!"

Erion thought that sounded like a really good idea, and nodded. "I am a bit tired," she said, "After doing all that mining. Duglas is quite a character, isn't he?"

"He definitely is! So, are you going to stay as a miner?" Butterfly asked.

"Well, that's the Life I chose, wasn't it?" Erion sat down in her newish chair. "I wanted to mine. It'll keep me in Dosh, after all. Even if it's a bit dirty and dusty." She thought about Liam, and how she wouldn't run into him with this Life. He and Kirie seemed to be happy, at least.

"I'll be happy to join you anytime you want!" Butterfly said. "Just give me the word."

Erion smiled. "Why don't you come with me tomorrow?" she asked.

"Sounds good!" The butterfly flapped around in a circle. "See you tomorrow."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the start of the first non-tutorial story arc! With more dialogue borrowed from the game.

"So, you want to have a family?" Butterfly asked as they headed out of Haniwa cave a few days later. 

Erion nodded. They'd had a conversation with the old man that liked to hang around the square shortly after getting up the next day. Honestly, she'd wanted to have a family with Liam, but that was not to be. Now, she wasn't sure who she wanted a family with, but she still wanted a family. It wasn't like her partner had to be male, after all.

"I don't blame you!" Butterfly said cheerfully. "You looked kind of sad after you said that, though."

"I was," Erion told her. She was getting used to Butterfly's presence. They'd come out to the Grassy Plains, stepped into the guild office, and visited the local shop, none of which the Butterfly had been before. Erion had to admit that it was interesting to try to see the sights with new eyes. After all, even if she'd known several of the girls at the guild office, didn't mean that the Butterfly did. And it had been incredibly kind of the girl at the general shop to give them health potions. "I... it's a long story, okay?"

"Oh." The words seemed to deter her companion, and Butterfly thankfully didn't pry.

"Let's go and get these copper and stones sold, okay?" she asked. Duglas had been right; she was certainly racking in the dosh with mining. 

"Are you okay, Erion?" the Butterfly asked.

Erion let out a deep breath. "I think so." It wasn't like Butterfly had to know about Liam, right? Because Butterfly might not understand. "As I said, it's a long story."

"Okay," Butterfly answered, and Erion signed in relief.

"I can tell you more about growing up here, if you want?" Erion asked.

"Yes, please, I want to hear all about it!" Butterfly said, and Erion found herself telling Butterfly about growing up with a mother who had been a bounty clerk, how she'd entertain herself when not in school in the marketplace, watching the jugglers, how she'd tried to learn juggling herself, except that she wasn't really good at it. They talked all the way home, and then Erion finally listened to Butterfly's chatter about the world after she'd gotten paid for her latest mining trip.

It was hard not to get caught up in her companion's excited speech about what they'd seen, and what Butterfly had discovered. She went to bed, dreaming of rocks to crush and ore to find.

And then she found herself knocked out of bed by something crashing loudly into her roof. There was a hazy, dark thing that she had to blink twice at to believe it was there, and she recalled Butterfly's words about how exciting such an event would be.

Or it would be, she realized ruefully, if it hadn't landed in her roof.

"WHAT ON REVERIA IS THAT?!?" Butterfly exclaimed, and Erion had to admit she had no clue. After a moment, Butterfly seemed to shake out her wings. "Are you okay? I think I'm fine, but my wings are a bit jittery. I'm still shaking, though! I mean, look at that thing? What do you think that is?!?"

Erion didn't get a chance to reply before a set of people came rushing up. She wasn't actually surprised at all that someone was coming, and definitely not surprised that it was a group of Paladins, followed by an odd grey-haired man. Well, at least she wasn't surprised by the Paladins.

"AHA! I am unsurprised, yet nonetheless pleased, to see that I was correct. And that is one big stone." He waved at the Paladins. "All right, listen up soldiers! I want you to exercise extreme caution when extricating that stone from the roof. It may be hot. It may be cold. We don't know what it is. But we know that you need to go up and get it."

One of the Paladins ran up her stairs and started working on her roof.

As he was working, Butterfly said, "Geez, who's the guy dancing the Bossy Nova?"

Erion didn't know what a Bossy Nova was supposed to be, so she kept her mouth shut.

"You there!" The man was pointing at her. "I take it you are the resident of this domicile? Such a fortuitous event! You must feel so lucky! I titter with glee to imagine if an actual Doomstone were to crash into my own roof!" He sighed dramatically. "Always a bridesmaid...."

Wait a minute, a Doomstone? Erion thought those had been mythical. What was it doing in her roof?

"Professor Hughes, sir! I have exorcised the-- I mean, I have extricated the... I pulled the stone out of the roof, sir." 

"Good work, soldier. Now if you will please see it back to the castle intact." He returned his focus to Erion. "Oh, and by the way... don't go thinking that just because something crashed into your roof it belongs to you. We don't live in that type of society. That Doomstone will be studied for the good of all Reveria. So don't bother straining your little cerebrum over any of this. I'm sure you'll be looking forward to my findings. Good day."

With that, the man walked away, followed by the Paladins.

"Thanks so much for your company! What a jerk. Erion! What about Pam? Is she okay?" Butterfly asked, and Erion realized that she didn't know.

As if it had been a summons, Pam rushed up to the two of them. "Oh my! What is going on here? Are you two all right?"

"We're fine," Butterfly told her before Erion could say anything. "But we've got some bad news for you."

Pam glanced at the hole in the roof. "Oh, I'd already heard that a giant rock or something fell on the roof. I was so worried about you! I cam running home right away. I'm so glad you weren't harmed! I wouldn't have forgiven myself. Plus, I've let my liability insurance lapse, so you can imagine my relief!" She looked up at the hole, and then back. "That hole is actually kind of nice. It would give you a nice view of Lunares while you're sleeping." She shook her head with a smile. "Or not. Tee hee! I'll get a Carpenter up here to patch it right away. That girl... she wasn't up there on the roof when the stone fell, was she?"

What girl? Erion looked around confused, wondering what was going on. There had been a girl sitting on her roof?

"That girl! The one who is always up there talking to the stars. I thought she was a friend of yours." Pam had apparently interpreted her confused look correctly. "Have you seen her, Butterfly?"

"I have no idea who you're talking about, Pam. Sorry." 

"I wonder if she had anything to do with all of this," Pam said thoughtfully.

"How? I mean, what was that thing?" Butterfly asked, and Erion was grateful for it, because she wasn't quite sure either. The professor had called it a Doomstone, but what if he was wrong?

"Oh, it must have been one of those Doomstones... strange. It seems like we've been getting more of those lately."

"Wait, this is a common occurrence?" Butterfly demanded, fluttering up and down.

"No, it isn't," Erion hastened to assure her.

"Oh, no, to the contrary, it isn't! That's why it's so odd. I guess another one just landed somewhere out in the plains."

"Erion! We should go and check it out before that Hughes jerk gets to it!" She paused, and addressed Pam. "Thanks for the hot tip, Pam!"

"Of course! I'm usually good at getting information. Keeping it to myself is a different story, though. You had better run off now before that Doomstone is carted away to the castle!"

"Let's fly!" Butterfly exclaimed. Erion sighed and mentally shook her head. Butterfly had a tendency to fly into danger, and she didn't want her newish friend getting hurt if she could help it.

So, she reluctantly let Butterfly perch on her and dashed as quickly as she could to the East Grassy Plains.


End file.
